Articles of interest from the Fairfax County Park Authority

Plant Blubs Now for Spring Color

In summer 2016, I attended the wedding of a couple who handed out burlap sacks of tulip bulbs as guests left the reception. They attached a note that said, “As a living remembrance of the love we share, we give you these bulbs to plant with care.”

It was a lovely thought, and I’m getting ready to plant mine as cooler weather arrives. They’ve been stored in a cool, dry place. I’ve wondered if other wedding guests have done the same. I asked a cousin who attended the wedding what he did with his bulbs.

“I planted them, but I haven’t gotten any flowers,” he told me.

The bulbs were meant to be planted in the fall for blooms the following spring. If the couple had distributed summer bulbs, such as amaryllis, tuberous begonia, caladium, daylily, dahlia, gladiolus or lily, the bulbs would have flowered.

If you plant hyacinths, know that they have an oil in the bulbs which may make some people itch. Wear gloves when handling these bulbs, or wash hands with cool water and soap immediately after planting. It’s not unusual for some spring-flowering bulbs to send up a few leaves in the late fall or early winter. The bulbs will remain safe over the winter and will still produce flowers next spring.

If you want spring color, you need to plant before the first frost. Spring bulbs produce some of the most dramatic garden color with minimal effort. The most popular spring bulb is the tulip, but there are many others, including narcissus, daffodils, jonquils, snowdrops, fritillaria, winter aconite, anemone, allium and crocuses. Non-gardeners often don’t know: Plant spring-blooming bulbs in the fall.

There is a fact sheet published by the Virginia Cooperative Extension with the not-very-exotic-but-specifically-accurate government title of Publication #426-201, “Flowering Bulbs: Culture and Maintenance.” You can get a copy online at http://www.ext.vt.educ. The fact sheets says that “bulbs” is a term loosely used to include corns, tubers, tuberous roots, and rhizomes.

I’m a Green Spring Gardens Master Gardener, and in the Master Gardener class I learned that bulbs are broadly grouped into spring flowering (January-May) and summer flowering (June-September). Hardy spring flowering bulbs are planted in the fall. Spring bulbs provide color before most annuals and perennials bloom, so if you want spring color, plant in the fall.

When buying bulbs for fall planting, choose the best quality you can because the flower bud has already developed before the bulb is sold. Look for plump, firm bulbs. When you’re ready to plant, consider light, temperature, soil texture and function. Be certain to check the correct planting depth for each bulb.

One last thing to remember about your flower bulbs. After they bloom in the spring, do not cut the leaves back until they start to wither. Green leaves produce food for plant growth the next year. After leaves turn yellow, cut and compost the stems and foliage of the plants. If you cut the leaves back early, you’ll have no flowers next spring.

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About Fairfax County Park Authority

About Fairfax County Park Authority
HISTORY: On December 6, 1950, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors created the Fairfax County Park Authority. The Park Authority was authorized to make decisions concerning land acquisition, park development and operations in Fairfax County, Virginia. To date, 13 park bond referenda have been approved between 1959 and 2016. Today, the Park Authority has 427 parks on more than 23,000 acres of land. We offer 325 miles of trails, our most popular amenity.
FACILITIES: The Park system is the primary public mechanism in Fairfax County for the preservation of environmentally sensitive land and resources, areas of historic significance and the provision of recreational facilities and services including:
• Nine indoor RECenters with swimming pools, fitness rooms, gyms and class spaces. Cub Run features an indoor water park and on-site naturalist
• Eight golf courses from par-3 to championship level, four driving ranges including the new state-of-the-art heated, covered range at Burke Lake Golf Center
• Five nature and visitor centers. Also nine Off-Leash Dog Activity areas
• Three lakefront parks including Lake Fairfax, Lake Accotink and Burke Lake, with campgrounds at Burke Lake and Lake Fairfax. The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole at Lake Fairfax, Our Special Harbor Sprayground at Lee as well as an indoor water park at Cub Run RECenter
• Clemyjontri Park, a fully accessible playground in Great Falls featuring two acres of family friendly fun and a carousel, as well as Chessie’s Big Backyard and a carousel at the Family Recreation Area at Lee District Park
• An ice skating rink at Mount Vernon RECenter and the Skate Park in Wakefield Park adjacent to Audrey Moore RECenter
• Kidwell Farm, a working farm of the 1930s-era at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon, now with historic carousel
• Eight distinctive historic properties available for rent
• A working grist mill at Colvin Run in Great Falls and a restored 18th century home at Sully Historic Site in Chantilly
• A horticulture center at Green Spring Gardens in Annandale
• Natural and cultural resources protected by the Natural Resource Management Plan and Cultural Resource Plans, plus an Invasive Management Area program that targets alien plants and utilizes volunteers in restoring native vegetation throughout our community
• Picnic shelters, tennis courts, miniature golf courses, disc golf courses, off-leash dog parks, amphitheaters, a marina, kayaking/canoeing center
• Provides 263 athletic fields, including 39 synthetic turf fields, and manages athletic field maintenance services at 417 school athletic fields.
PARK AUTHORITY BOARD: A 12-member citizen board, appointed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, sets policies and priorities for the Fairfax County Park Authority.
Visit https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news2/social-hub/ for Fairfax County Government's Comment Policy.